Byrd & Emmons how do they get that sound?

Mark Davis · Post by **Mark Davis** » 27 Jun 2000 3:03 pm

I have heard both Jerry Byrd and Buddy Emmons do this sound on the steel where it sounds almost like a musical saw or synth. I cant ever hear a pick hitting the strings more than once its like they strike the string and are able to play 3-5 notes without any loss of sustain.

Any idea how these guys do this? I'm sure other steel players do this sound also.

Buddy Emmons does this in the song Mansion on the Hill about 2:15 into the song right after the fiddle lead.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 27 Jun 2000 3:18 pm

Emmons uses an E-Bow in "Mansion on the Hill". You hear the same effect on Maurice Anderson's "Universal Direction" album. I've never heard anything like that from Jerry Byrd, though.

Mark Davis · Post by **Mark Davis** » 27 Jun 2000 3:21 pm

Wow quick response thanks Bob.

Thats it! The Ebow. I should have thought of that was how they were getting such good sustain without hitting the strings.

Time to look for an Ebow I guess. I messed with one years ago when they first came out.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 27 Jun 2000 3:38 pm

Ebows are still being made.
http://www.ebow.com/
They're a lot of fun, too!

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 28 Jun 2000 4:05 am

I can't see Jerry Byrd using an Ebow.

I think the sound you are describing is a sound that is achieved when the bar is placed at a natural harmonic point of the string (12, 7 or 5). Before picking, the fingers of the left hand are lifted off the strings, leaving the bar on the strings and eliminating their overtone dampening effect.

You may also be describing the sound of picking behind the bar, i.e., place the bar at the 12th fret, pick the strings at the 7th.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 28 June 2000 at 05:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

Doug Smith · Post by **Doug Smith** » 29 Jun 2000 2:29 am

JB used an E-bow on "Nightime" on his album, "Jerry Byrd-Master of Touch and Tone", MD-27.

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Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 29 Jun 2000 7:32 am

Hi Mark,

Bobby Lee has told you right about Emmons using the E-bow on the song "Mansion on the Hill," and he also used it
on the song titled "Once Upon a Time In The West," which happened to be the cool
theme song for a Spaghetti Western. Both the song and and the western movie were great! The spaghetti ain't to bad either.

I think Jery Byrd Byrd used an E-bow on the song that someone mentioned too. Maurice Anderson uses one some on his "Universal Direction," Gospel recordings.

The E-bow is a cool effet. I went out and purchased one after I heard Emmons use it live on those recordings. It was about $230 at the time, late 1970's. It was pretty but an expensive toy for no more than I used it. I wound up trading it for some other toys with another steel player. He in turn done the same thing in a short time, traded it for toys.
The sound the E-bow makes is the constant sustain effect. You can soar like a soprano with that effect unit if you so desire. It's fun, but the soprano is a lot prettier to look at!

Goodluck,

Terry J. Wood

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 29 Jun 2000 7:36 am

Hi again,
If memory serves me correct, the Jerry Byrd song with the E-bow was on an album titled
"The Master of Touch and Tone." Scotty
produced that album and I don't know if it is
still available. It was released in the late 1970's too.

God bless you and have a great day!

T.J. Wood